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So I am going to order parts tomorrow, but I wanted to make sure I wasn't overlooking something that was glaringly obvious. I am about at the top of my budget with what I have listed here. I want to know what you think.
Here is the build:
I absolutely hate building new computers, but I hate asking for computer recommendations even more. I am not a hardware fanatic, but I posses a basic understanding of general performance. I have made inquiries at places like Tom's and I have been met with all kinds of advocacy for one product or another. AMD or Intel, nVidia or ATI, cake or pie?
To be fair I have always been an AMD user. I am comfortable with nVidia graphics cards as well as nForce motherboard drivers. Being a creature of habit I tend to gravitate towards the familiar. So, that said, be kind if you have some feedback to offer. Perhaps the extended stay in the dark underbelly that we call computer hardware forums has finally robbed me of the excitement of a new computer.
This is the build I was considering. I have a budget of $1200, that includes shipping. Lets begin:
Processor:
Intel Core 2 Duo E6400 Conroe 2.13GHz LGA 775 Processor Model BX80557E6400 - Retail
At first I was afraid As I said earlier I have always been an AMD man myself, but I have heard great things about the new Core 2 Duo processors. As I understand it they are performing on the same level as some AMD-FX cores. I am moderately pleased with this decision, but in the end .. I have never owned an Intel. In the specs it also lists that quite clearly: NO Hyper Threading Support. Ok, ok, I dont really know what Hyper Threading does, but I do know that it doesnt have it and the AMDs do. Can you enlighten with some kind of tangible example?
Motherboard:
ASUS P5NSLI Socket T (LGA 775) NVIDIA nForce 570 SLI Intel Edition ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
ASUS is a good brand and I have used one of their mobos before. I chose this board specifically because it uses the nForce 570. I was slightly disappointed that it did not have the 590, but I guess I can live with it. As I understand it the 590 would offer a significant gain with the true 16x/16x for SLi. This board does look a bit skimpy on features, but it is a bargain buy. Does anyone see a red flag?
RAM:
Patriot 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 667 (PC2 5300) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model PDC22G5300LLK - Retail
This was another bargain buy, but I am pleasantly surprised with the excellent reviews it is getting on NewEgg. I think Fozzik actually suggests this ram in his $1500 build.
Video Card:
BFG Tech BFGR7950512GTOCE Geforce 7950GT 512MB GDDR3 PCI Express x16 Video Card - Retail
This is obviously the most exciting piece in the machine. I think it really encompasses the 2 things I wanted from a video card: 1) nVidia 7 series, 2) 512 megs of RAM. The clocks are slightly raised, but I think I shouldnt have to OC this one too hard in order to enjoy my gaming experience. I like BFG, a buddy of mine has been running BFG cards for years and the lifetime warranty worth more than money. I know, DX10 around the corner, I have no intention of buying a first generation DX10 card. The fact that I want to go SLi in the future and all of the games I am remotely interested in are currently in a DX9 form also sway me towards this decision. I am actually quite pleased with the price and performance on this one.
Power Supply:
Corsair HX520w ATX12V v2.2 and EPS12V 2.91 520W Power Supply - Retail
I know I want a modular cabled power supply that is SLi certified. This fell into my price range and was given a good review from a few people at [H]ard. Corsair is a brand that I think I can trust and the 520W is adequate. What say you?
Hard Drive:
Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD2500KS 250GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM
I already have a 160GB Western Digital, but I decided I would treat myself. I work with a lot of media and often find myself wishing I had a bit more room. Well, this is it! My thought was to use it as a main drive because of the 16Meg cache. I will again admit my ignorance, I dont really know what a 16meg cache will do for me besides hold more information that a smaller cache! It seemed important to the fellows who rated it on NewEgg and the price is right.
Cooling:
ZALMAN VF900 CU 2 Ball VGA Cooling Fan/Heatsink - Retail
ZALMAN CNPS9500 AT 2 Ball CPU Cooling Fan/Heatsink - Retail
Lets face it I am a bit of a worry wart (why else would I be making this post now?). I have never really trusted stock coolers of any kind. The first time I had a laptop I took it apart to apply Artic Silver 5 to the heat sink. I hope that these will keep the CPU and VGA chilly. I like Zalman and have used 2 of their heat sinks before.
*edit* - I almost forgot to add that this is cirrently coming in at $1,174.83 with shipping. This is the sweet spot, nothing over $1,200.
Well my friends I am going to end this small novel and await your feedback patiently. Being the poor college student that I am I cannot afford to make a mistake that could end up costing a semesters worth of tuition! My hope is this build would last for 2 years with a second 7950 added in some time next summer. Thanks for looking over my build.
Here is the build:
I absolutely hate building new computers, but I hate asking for computer recommendations even more. I am not a hardware fanatic, but I posses a basic understanding of general performance. I have made inquiries at places like Tom's and I have been met with all kinds of advocacy for one product or another. AMD or Intel, nVidia or ATI, cake or pie?
To be fair I have always been an AMD user. I am comfortable with nVidia graphics cards as well as nForce motherboard drivers. Being a creature of habit I tend to gravitate towards the familiar. So, that said, be kind if you have some feedback to offer. Perhaps the extended stay in the dark underbelly that we call computer hardware forums has finally robbed me of the excitement of a new computer.
This is the build I was considering. I have a budget of $1200, that includes shipping. Lets begin:
Processor:
Intel Core 2 Duo E6400 Conroe 2.13GHz LGA 775 Processor Model BX80557E6400 - Retail
At first I was afraid As I said earlier I have always been an AMD man myself, but I have heard great things about the new Core 2 Duo processors. As I understand it they are performing on the same level as some AMD-FX cores. I am moderately pleased with this decision, but in the end .. I have never owned an Intel. In the specs it also lists that quite clearly: NO Hyper Threading Support. Ok, ok, I dont really know what Hyper Threading does, but I do know that it doesnt have it and the AMDs do. Can you enlighten with some kind of tangible example?
Motherboard:
ASUS P5NSLI Socket T (LGA 775) NVIDIA nForce 570 SLI Intel Edition ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
ASUS is a good brand and I have used one of their mobos before. I chose this board specifically because it uses the nForce 570. I was slightly disappointed that it did not have the 590, but I guess I can live with it. As I understand it the 590 would offer a significant gain with the true 16x/16x for SLi. This board does look a bit skimpy on features, but it is a bargain buy. Does anyone see a red flag?
RAM:
Patriot 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 667 (PC2 5300) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model PDC22G5300LLK - Retail
This was another bargain buy, but I am pleasantly surprised with the excellent reviews it is getting on NewEgg. I think Fozzik actually suggests this ram in his $1500 build.
Video Card:
BFG Tech BFGR7950512GTOCE Geforce 7950GT 512MB GDDR3 PCI Express x16 Video Card - Retail
This is obviously the most exciting piece in the machine. I think it really encompasses the 2 things I wanted from a video card: 1) nVidia 7 series, 2) 512 megs of RAM. The clocks are slightly raised, but I think I shouldnt have to OC this one too hard in order to enjoy my gaming experience. I like BFG, a buddy of mine has been running BFG cards for years and the lifetime warranty worth more than money. I know, DX10 around the corner, I have no intention of buying a first generation DX10 card. The fact that I want to go SLi in the future and all of the games I am remotely interested in are currently in a DX9 form also sway me towards this decision. I am actually quite pleased with the price and performance on this one.
Power Supply:
Corsair HX520w ATX12V v2.2 and EPS12V 2.91 520W Power Supply - Retail
I know I want a modular cabled power supply that is SLi certified. This fell into my price range and was given a good review from a few people at [H]ard. Corsair is a brand that I think I can trust and the 520W is adequate. What say you?
Hard Drive:
Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD2500KS 250GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM
I already have a 160GB Western Digital, but I decided I would treat myself. I work with a lot of media and often find myself wishing I had a bit more room. Well, this is it! My thought was to use it as a main drive because of the 16Meg cache. I will again admit my ignorance, I dont really know what a 16meg cache will do for me besides hold more information that a smaller cache! It seemed important to the fellows who rated it on NewEgg and the price is right.
Cooling:
ZALMAN VF900 CU 2 Ball VGA Cooling Fan/Heatsink - Retail
ZALMAN CNPS9500 AT 2 Ball CPU Cooling Fan/Heatsink - Retail
Lets face it I am a bit of a worry wart (why else would I be making this post now?). I have never really trusted stock coolers of any kind. The first time I had a laptop I took it apart to apply Artic Silver 5 to the heat sink. I hope that these will keep the CPU and VGA chilly. I like Zalman and have used 2 of their heat sinks before.
*edit* - I almost forgot to add that this is cirrently coming in at $1,174.83 with shipping. This is the sweet spot, nothing over $1,200.
Well my friends I am going to end this small novel and await your feedback patiently. Being the poor college student that I am I cannot afford to make a mistake that could end up costing a semesters worth of tuition! My hope is this build would last for 2 years with a second 7950 added in some time next summer. Thanks for looking over my build.
